He will relocate to the company's New York offices, reporting to Lee Clow, who will become chairman and chief creative officer of TBWA\. Hunt will also be tasked with looking after the TBWA\Chiat\Day office in New York. He joins in April.
Hunt is the second South African to be named as the global creative head of an advertising network in as many weeks. Last week, Tom Granger was appointed as the executive creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide from Bozell New York.
Hunt launched TBWA\Hunt Lascaris with Reg Lascaris in 1983 in Johannesburg. The agency is now the second largest in South Africa. The agency worked for the ANC during South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994. Lascaris, who is president of TBWA in Africa, the Middle East, Greece and Turkey, is to take an expanded role in developing the network's global strategy.
Jean-Marie Dru, president and CEO of TBWA Worldwide, said: "John and Reg have built a model for the TBWA network. TBWA\Hunt Lascaris stands out as an example of what makes our network special. In a business that revolves around talent, we are very fortunate to have two of the best with us as we continue to build one of the fastest growing and respected agency networks."
Meanwhile, at fellow Omnicom Group shop BBDO Worldwide, Don Schneider has been named as the new executive creative director and executive vice-president, after Michael Patti quit the agency to take the role of chairman and CEO at Y&R Advertising New York, part of the WPP Group.
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